They were in the military BEFORE don’t ask, don’t tell, therefore they were in the US military ILLEGALLY and should now be charged and prosecuted. Same thing as an illegal Mexican being in the states 20 years, then all the sudden turning himself in. Prosecutes the bastards! And that worthless queer-loving Episcopalian “preacher”, who calls himself a chaplain should be prosecuted for allowing this travesty in a military chapel. The DOMA is still alive and well in the US military. Kick this God-hating creep to the curb. He is not fit to preach the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He has mocked and defiled His Holy name!

His point was not that they were in the military before "don't ask don't tell" was repealed, it was that they were in the military before it was introduced.

I don't know enough about military regulation to comment informedly. But did they ever prosecute for homosexuality, or was it merely grounds for discharge? And if it was prosecutable, wouldn't the fact it has since become lawful render prosecution moot, and his example just plain wrong?

It wasn't illegal for gay people to be in the military. They just couldn't be open about it without being discharged. I don't think you're in any position to judge others, considering what a disgusting bigot you are. By the way, if you read that book you like to prattle on about, you'd know that he has not mocked and defiled Jesus because he didn't say anything about homosexuality, but he did have a lot to say about hateful, judgmental hypocrites.

"They were in the military BEFORE don’t ask, don’t tell, therefore they were in the US military ILLEGALLY and should now be charged and prosecuted."

Now, I'm no Harvard law scholar but I'm pretty sure it's not possible to charge or prosecute someone with something that doesn't actually have any laws against it.

"Prosecutes the bastards! And that worthless queer-loving Episcopalian “preacher”, who calls himself a chaplain should be prosecuted for allowing this travesty in a military chapel. The DOMA is still alive and well in the US military. Kick this God-hating creep to the curb. He is not fit to preach the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

The same Jesus that hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors, the poor, and anyone else who was considered an outcast without ever judging any of them, and who never said a fucking word about gay people? That Jesus?

I just wanted to make sure we're talking about the same guy, because the Jesus you're talking about sounds like he'd be a real prick.

"He has mocked and defiled His Holy name!"

Actually, he was being quite Christ-like (i.e., accepting and non-judgemental). More of you Christians should try it.

"They were in the military BEFORE don’t ask, don’t tell, therefore they were in the US military ILLEGALLY and should now be charged and prosecuted. Same thing as an illegal Mexican being in the states 20 years, then all the sudden turning himself in. Prosecutes the bastards!"

It doesn't work like that, dingus! They can't bring NEW charges based on the OLD law. So by your analogy, it would be the equivalent of an illegal turning himself in after being granted amnesty - they couldn't do a thing to him at that point, just like they can't do a thing to the gay couple in question.

I think some of the comments here are wrong - my understanding is that in the US, you in fact can be prosecuted for things that are no longer illegal if they were illegal when you did them, unless the law is found to be unconstitutional (which a law against gay people serving in the military clearly is).

As an aside, I love how these people see themselves as patriots who support the troops but as soon as a member of the military has a relationship with someone they don't like they scream for criminal charges to be brought.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. "

As I understand it, you can indeed be tried for a crime that is no longer illegal but was at the time of commission. It'd be very unusual, however, as the fact that the law had since changed would lead to the default assumption that there's no public interest in pursuing the case.

In this case, however, even if there were any interest in pursuing a prosecution, it would be impossible. Even if they had committed an offense under the law of the time (debatable), the statute of limitations would prevent a prosecution occurring more than five years after the decriminalisation of their actions.

They was up in tha military BEFORE donâ€™t ask, donâ€™t tell, therefore they was up in tha US military ILLEGALLY n' should now be charged n' prosecuted. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! Same muthafuckin thang as a illegal Mexican bein up in tha states 20 years, then all tha sudden turnin his dirty ass in. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Prosecutes tha bastards, muthafucka! And dat worthless queer-gangbangin Episcopalian â€œpreacherâ€, whoz ass calls his dirty ass a cold-ass lil chaplain should be prosecuted fo' allowin dis travesty up in a military chapel. Da DOMA is still kickin it n' well up in tha US military. Kick dis Dogg-hatin creep ta tha curb yo. Dude aint fit ta preach tha gospel of our Lord n' Savior Jizzy Christ yo. Dude has mocked n' defiled His Holy name!